Tag Archives: Oswego Speedway

OSWEGO, NY (January 29, 2019) – Another veteran of the Pathfinder Bank SBS division will make the move up to Oswego Speedway’s new 350 Supermodified class in 2019. Eight-time Small Block Super feature winner Chris Proud will pilot a Burke Motorsports entry on select occasions this coming season.

Proud, who has seven full-time and seven additional part-time seasons of Oswego action under his belt, is looking forward to finally being able to get behind the wheel of a Supermodified thanks to a deal put together by his nephew Camden Proud and car owner John Burke.

“This deal was put together by Camden Proud and John Burke, it basically gives me the chance to run a few races at the Oswego Speedway this year,” Proud said. “I am excited about the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a winged 350 Super. I have always wanted to move from the SBS class to a Supermodified, but things just never worked out to make that happen.”

A familiar face to Oswego fans, Chris competed weekly at the speedway from 2000 to 2006 driving the No. 3 machine. The potent homebuilt mount brought the Brewerton, N.Y. driver seven feature wins in five seasons with the car until Proud made the decision to step away from racing and spend more time with family at the conclusion of the ’06 season.

Despite backing out of full-time competition, Chris returned to the speedway for part-time stints with Ed Horne and Tom Aaserud in 2008 and 2009 before driving an FFB Chassis for Tim Barbeau and making his way back to Oswego victory lane in 2010.

Proud took another year off in 2011 to acquire and begin completely re-working his original Proud Chassis for action in 2012. Driving to a heat race win and a handful of top ten finishes, 2012 brought Chris moderate success.

The following season, Proud was back in action another time, now driving a brand new car again built by himself and brother Tim. The new Proud Chassis was quick out of the box, and Chris put it on the podium in just a few short weeks while also securing another heat race victory and three top ten finishes.

With Camden stepping in to drive the new car for the 2014 season, Chris held on to the old chassis and eventually brought that ride back to the speedway for a handful of appearances in 2014 and 2015. The old chassis gave Proud one last podium finish to his credit in August of ’14 behind Anthony Losurdo and JJ Andrews.

In each season following his most recent appearance on Bud Classic Weekend of 2015, Proud has had plans to bring the No. 3 back to the race track, but unfortunately has had other factors keeping him out of the driver’s seat until this point in time.

“I have been out of the seat of a race car for the last few years due to complications from a back surgery along with family commitments,” Proud explained. “I have a teenage daughter and two young sons that play sports and have various other activities that keep me pretty busy most of the time. When I do make it to the track, I am focused on helping my nephew with his racing program.”

Camden, who has piloted the newer Proud car in the Small Block Super ranks for the past five seasons, will move to full-time Novelis Supermodified competition in 2019. The big block rookie of the year candidate is happy to see a 350 Super deal come together for Chris.

“I’m glad Chris finally has the chance to drive a Supermodified,” he said. “He has done countless things over the years to support my racing. I’ve gotten to known John pretty well, so I talked to him this offseason in hopes that he’d be willing to give Chris a shot and everything worked out. Some of my fondest memories growing up were watching my uncle race at Oswego. I look forward to doing so again this summer and have no doubt he will make the most of this opportunity.”

Burke, the race advocate for the 350 SMAC Series which appeared at Oswego this past Classic Weekend, is looking forward to supporting the track’s new division and having the chance to do so with someone that is familiar to the Oswego Speedway community.

“I’m very excited to help support Oswego and have one of the local drivers get in my car to help build the new division out there,” Burke said. “Chris has had a lot of success in the Small Block Super class and should do a great job with the No. 10 car.”

With all parties expected to remain busy with other commitments throughout the summer, Proud’s schedule has not yet been completely ironed out, but it is expected that he will be behind the wheel for at least a handful of shows throughout the season.

Chris’s goal is to simply be competitive. He is aiming for top five finishes and believes his experience in the SBS class will aid in the upcoming transition to a 350 Supermodified.

“I just want to be competitive and shoot for some strong finishes, top fives would be my goal,” Proud stated. “I think that my experience in the SBS division is high and will transfer over to the 350. There is no substitute for racing at Oswego. I was able to win a lot of races in the SBS class and ran up front consistently, so I think I will do well in the 350, but that’s not to say there won’t be a small learning curve in the first few practice sessions. I do think I’ll get the hang of it very quickly.”

As for the No. 3 Small Block Super, it still sits inside Chris’s race shop located in Brewerton, but at least for the time being, he has no plans of bringing the car back to the track due to the ongoing changes with the division.

“I have no plans to run the SBS car right now due to the crate motor change. I don’t have the proper engine to do so anymore,” he said. “I think the crate is something the class needed to help get costs down, but I don’t plan on running out and buying one just yet. Car counts may dwindle the first year, but it will come back the next few years. If the track can keep up on tech, the new program will be very successful. The No. 3 will definitely hit the track again someday. My oldest son Colton plans to take over driving duties down the road.”

For this year on the other hand, Proud is looking forward to finally being able to go racing at Oswego Speedway again. He continued by saying, “I want to thank John and Camden for putting this deal together for me. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun this summer and I’m grateful I have the chance to get my feet wet in the new division while driving a winning car. I can’t wait for the season to start.”

Oswego Speedway’s 69th season of racing is scheduled to begin on Saturday, May 25 with Jim Shampine Memorial Twin 50 features for the Novelis Supermodifieds plus full programs for the Pathfinder Bank Small Block Supers and the 350 Supermodifieds.

An Open Practice session for all 2019 divisions will commence one week earlier on Saturday, May 18.

Those wishing to renew Classic or season ticket packages for the year have until Saturday, May 1 to contact Paul Conzone at oswegospeedway@gmail.com.

For more information on Oswego Speedway, be sure to visit online at OswegoSpeedway.com. You can also FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway or LIKE on Facebook at Facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.

A veteran of the Pathfinder Bank SBS division, Proud and family acquired the former Strong Racing Supermodified with help from Ken’s Body Shop prior to Oswego Speedway’s 2018 season.

The car was prepared for several months before the team brought it trackside as the green No. 22 just in time for Budweiser International Classic Weekend this past September.

With minimal laps in a big block, Camden quickly found the 16 second bracket and qualified for his first career Classic on Labor Day Weekend while also driving to a 15th place finish in his very first Supermodified race on Track Championship Night two weeks earlier.

After five full seasons in the Small Block Super ranks which brought him a rookie of the year title in 2014, third place in the 2017 standings, and seven podium finishes including five second place efforts, Proud looks forward to taking the next step in his career with dedicated sponsor Step One Creative.

“We’re excited to move to the Supers and field the No. 54 for a full season in 2019,” he said. “We’ve been fortunate to compete full-time in the Small Block class for five years and are now preparing ourselves for the astronomical cost increase with the Supermodified. With Step One Creative onboard, we’ve taken the first step in fundraising and look forward to continuing that at LaGraf’s Pub on Sunday, March 24.”

Although Proud’s fundraiser will be moving to a new location in 2019, the system will remain similar to that of years past as full chicken dinners including two sides and a dessert will again be available for a $10 donation to Proud Motorsports.

New at LaGraf’s Pub this year will be the addition of live music, a chance to try out Oswego Speedway Supermodified simulators, plus the continuation of the team’s popular raffle items, door prizes, and 50/50.

Pre-sale tickets for the fundraiser are now on sale. You can phone (315)-532-0926 to order or purchase and pick up at Step One Creative or Ken’s Body Shop in Oswego. The fundraiser will run from 12pm until sold out on March 24, but all pre-sale orders must be picked up by 2pm.

Opening Day at Oswego Speedway is scheduled for Saturday, May 25 with Jim Shampine Memorial Twin 50’s for the Novelis Supermodifieds. The Pathfinder Bank SBS and 350 Supermodified divisions will also see action. The speedway’s annual open practice session takes place a week earlier on Saturday, May 18.

For the latest updates from Proud Motorsports, you can visit the team’s website online at www.ProudMotorsports.com. You can also FOLLOW on Twitter @ProudMtrsports or LIKE on Facebook at Facebook.com/ProudMotorsports.

OSWEGO, NY (January 20, 2019) – It has been quite some time since we’ve seen a woman behind the wheel of a non-wing Supermodified at the Oswego Speedway. This season, however, that will change as Alison Sload plans a full season in the Novelis Supermodified ranks for 2019.

Sload, formerly Alison Cumens, is an accomplished campaigner on the ISMA trail. Despite not yet capturing her first feature win in a Supermodified, Sload brings a vast list of accomplishments and nearly 20 years of racing experience to Oswego Speedway as she teams up with John Nicotra and Otto Sitterly for a full-scale Oswego assault.

A quarter midget, three quarter midget, and now Supermodified veteran, Sload’s “true affection” for the Oswego Speedway began in 2011 when she picked up an ATQMRA victory on Classic Weekend, as her father Brent recalls.

In addition to her successes in winged Supers and TQ Midgets, Sload does have a small amount of non-wing experience in years prior. She piloted a car for Graham Racing in 2012 and only entered a couple of races before the Cumens Family then decided it was time to purchase a Vic Miller designed ISMA Supermodified.

For five seasons, Sload has spent many of her summers chasing ISMA races, and those efforts at times have been very gratifying. Her memorable performance in Oswego Speedway’s 2015 King of Wings event in which she finished a close second to Sitterly comes to mind right away.

Throughout the past two seasons, on the other hand, Sload and team have endured several struggles with the car. She did not race at all in 2018, but did marry fellow open wheel veteran Buddy Sload in the offseason. It was a break her team, in particular her crew chief, really needed.

“Although the ISMA racing family was very supportive of our team, traveling and keeping a Supermodified in racing condition has been a full-time job for me,” stated Brent Cumens. “For the first time in 20 years we did not field a car during the 2018 season. I was just worn out and needed a break.”

During this time, Sload watched the 2018 race season from the sidelines, while also observing her family school bus business continue expansion into New York State, something that makes heading back to the ‘Big O’ this coming season a little bit more logical.

“With the recent acquisition, both Alison and I have found ourselves spending more and more time in Upstate New York,” Cumens mentioned. “I decided to reach out to John and Otto and after a few calls and texts we were able to structure a one year deal for the 2019 season.”

Cumens, who has more than two decades under his belt wrenching on cars both for Alison and her brother Ian, says he “just wants to put Alison in a safe and competitive car” and “knows that John and Otto will make that happen for her.”

He continued by saying,”I think Alison is a bit apprehensive about having to knock a little rust off after a year out of the car, but I’m sure she will get back into the groove in short order. We are really looking forward to the upcoming season.”

For Nicotra, this marks the third consecutive year he will field two full-time entries at Oswego Speedway. He has won the last two championships in a row with two different drivers, first with Dave Shullick Jr. in 2017 and most recently with Sitterly last season. Bringing a new driver onboard can be quite challenging at times, but the accomplished car owner says it’s a challenge he is looking forward to.

“We’re excited to go racing with Alison and Brent this season,” Nicotra said. “It will be a big challenge for all involved but we’re really up for that challenge. Otto and the team will give their absolute best and do their part as always.”

Sitterly, who recently broke the record for most Supermodified track championships in speedway history, earned a mind boggling eighth track title last August, doing so while focused only on the No. 7 car. During that time, Shullick instead turned to new chief-wrench Jim Paternoster.

After lightening his work load a season ago, this year, Sitterly will again maintain two race cars on a full-time basis and is eager to welcome a new addition to Oswego Speedway’s premier division ahead of the 2019 race season.

“I’m looking forward to working with Alison and am excited about someone new coming to the Supermodified division at the Oswego Speedway,” Sitterly commented. “I’m sure that she will be a nice addition to the class.”

Sload echoed Sitterly’s thoughts, and is “very excited” about her upcoming opportunity with John Nicotra Racing at a place she has “adored” since her first victory at Oswego on that very memorable Classic Weekend seven years ago.

“My adoration for Oswego started when I won my first TQ feature there,” Sload said. “Even though I had to wait more than two years to win a feature, I’m really glad it happened at Oswego. Something about the atmosphere, people and race track really stole my heart that day.”

Fast forward a few years from that memorable moment, and Cumens stole the attention of Oswego’s fans in the aforementioned King of Wings event in 2015. She finished second to Sitterly by a narrow margin, crossing the start finish line just a hand full of car lengths behind the defending track champion.

“The 2015 King of Wings event was my first experience racing with Otto and it was great racing with him. Clean and respectful,” Sload recalled. “That night was one of my most memorable moments with ISMA and it gave me so much respect for Otto, John and the team. Even though I finished second, they all came down to congratulate us in victory lane. The entire group was so nice, and I kind of knew right then and there that at some point in my career I’d really like to drive for Nicotra Racing.”

As it would turn out, she had to wait a few years, but fortunately for Alison, the opportunity she had once hoped for has now become a reality soon to unfold in just a few short months at the Oswego Speedway. Approaching the task at hand with an open mind, Sload says her two biggest goals are to “have fun” and “learn from John and Otto.”

“This might sound cheesy but having fun and enjoying the opportunity to learn from John, Otto and the team are my biggest goals,” Sload explained. “Oswego is by far my favorite track and the fans are absolutely fantastic so I’m happy to get the opportunity to race there regularly. We could not have asked to be part of a better team or have better equipment and I think it will be a great experience for everyone.”

Those familiar with Oswego Speedway will realize that seeing women behind the wheel, especially of Supermodifieds, has not been much of a common trend over the years. First there was Jennifer Chesbro and more recently Jessica Zemken to name a few, but now it is Sload’s turn to continue carrying what tends to be a popular banner amongst race fans.

While women like Sload in a TQ and Star Matteson in the Small Block Supers have been victorious at the fast 5/8th’s mile, no woman has ever won a Supermodified event. No woman has ever won Supermodified rookie of the year either, which will be another item on Alison’s radar during the 2019 season. So, is there a chance we may see our very first female Supermodified winner in the near future?

“I think it goes without saying that I really want to win a race,” Sload replied. “At this point, I’m really just looking forward to getting back into a Supermodified this season. The month of May can’t come soon enough.”

Oswego Speedway’s 69th season of racing is scheduled to begin on Saturday, May 25 with Jim Shampine Memorial Twin 50 features for the Novelis Supermodifieds plus full programs for the Pathfinder Bank Small Block Supers and the 350 Supermodifieds.

An Open Practice session for all 2019 divisions will commence one week earlier on Saturday, May 18.

Those wishing to renew Classic or season ticket packages have until Saturday, May 1 to contact Paul Conzone at oswegospeedway@gmail.com.

For more information on Oswego Speedway, be sure to visit online at OswegoSpeedway.com. You can also FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway or LIKE on Facebook at Facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.